Muscle Spasms

Botox injections are now FDA approved for treating muscle spasms, in addition to facial wrinkles, and hyperhidrosis! It's no secret that many botox patients have been using botox off-label for years, to correct everything from migraine headaches and incontinence, to acne and voice disorders!

Some of the newest proposed uses for Botox injections include mood enhancement and preventative anti-aging (see: “world's youngest botox user”). There's no telling what's next on the horizon for Botox, but we can tell you if you're a candidate for Botox for muscle spasms right now!

About Muscle Spasms

Involuntary muscle contractions are known as muscle spasms or muscle spasticity. Muscle spasms are common symptoms of conditions like multiple sclerosis and cerebral palsy, but spasticity can also develop following a stroke or a spinal cord injury.

Left untreated, muscle spasms can become very painful, as well as create joint problems, muscle shortening, and lead to long-term issues with posture, limb movement and gait.

How Does Botox Treat Muscle Spasms?

Botox treats muscle spasms in much the same way that botox injections treat wrinkles. The botulinum toxin is a known inhibitor of certain sensory receptors in muscle groups. When botox is injected into specific muscle areas, those muscles become "paralyzed" in a sense, and cease regular contractions.

Botox injections treat muscle spasms by temporarily paralyzing spastic muscles and eliminating involuntary muscle contractions. At this time, the FDA has approved botox for muscle spasms in the wrists, fingers and elbows. Injecting botox to treat muscle spasms in the upper limbs or legs has not yet been fully tested or proven safe.

Should I Use Botox for Muscle Spasms?

General candidates for muscle spasm botox treatments include those with the disorders listed in the "About Muscle Spasms" section. However, even ideal botox candidates need to be aware of potential botox side effects and treatment risks before starting their botox sessions.

To identify if there are any personal risk factors that could negatively affect your muscle spasm botox treatments, it's best to meet with an experienced local botox provider for a consultation. Only by taking time to evaluate the benefits and downsides of botox use, and by getting the valuable input of a medical professional, can you best ascertain if botox injections for muscle spasms are right for you!